Generation-X gets the short end of the stick

Jonathan Martin’s column in Thursday’s Seattle Times reminded me of a child saying, “Life sucks!” [“Because of baby boomers Gen-X retirees will have less,” Opinion, April 11].None of us gets to choose when we are born, and every generation has challenges to face, some bigger than others.

Instead of blaming past generations for the state of this country, and the future he sees for his generation, he would do better by getting engaged in the political process.

Too many young people don’t even bother to vote, and whining won’t get you what you want or need for your future.

Work to elect people who have your interests as their interests, or run for political office. Getting involved in politics is the only way to make change. Simply complaining won’t work.

Diane Bowers, Shoreline

Focus should be on removing tax cap

I applaud Jonathan Martin’s push to raise the FICA tax for high-income earners in his recent column [“Because of baby boomers Gen-X retirees will have less,” Opinion, April 11]. But I take issue with his portrayal of Social Security as an “us” (Gen-X) versus “them” (boomers) contest.

Rather than perpetuating the myth of generation warfare, let’s keep the focus on removing the FICA-tax cap so that everyone pays the same rate.

I also resent his remark that Gen-Xers like me have “Mudhoney CDs stashed in the basement.” To the contrary, I still rock my Mudhoney albums, including the latest one released last week.

A more apt analogy would characterize Mudhoney as the Social Security of the Seattle-rock scene — still alive and kicking long after doubters have pronounced it dead.

And just as I plan to keep listening to my Mudhoney CDs well into my 60s, I’m totally confident that Social Security will be there for me when I retire. All it will take are a few common-sense improvements — not benefit cuts like the president proposes in his budget — for our country’s most rocking anti-poverty program to last into the next century and beyond.

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